ore, which, in some Measure, is owing to theire Hair being noe
longer cut strait and short after the Puritanicall Fashion I soe hate,
but curled like their Uncle's.

I have writ, not the Particulars, but the Issue of my Journey, unto
_Rose_, whose loving Heart, I know, yearns for Tidings. Alsoe, more
brieflie unto my Mother, who loveth not Mr. _Milton_.

_Barbican, September, 1646_.

In the Night-season, we take noe Rest; we search out our Hearts, and
commune with our Spiritts, and checque our Souls' Accounts, before we
dare court our Sleep; but in the Day of Happinesse we cut shorte our
Reckonings; and here am I, a joyfulle Wife, too proud and busie amid my
dailie Cares to have Leisure for more than a brief Note in my _Diarium_,
as _Ned_ woulde call it. 'Tis a large House, with more Rooms than we can
fill, even with the _Phillips's_ and their Scholar-mates, olde Mr.
_Milton_, and my Husband's Books to boot. I feel Pleasure in being
housewifelie; and reape the Benefit of alle that I learnt of this Sorte
at _Sheepscote_. Mine Husband's Eyes follow me with Delight; and once
with a perplexed yet pleased Smile, he sayd to me, "Sweet Wife, thou art
strangelie altered; it seems as though I have indeede lost 'sweet _Moll_'
after alle!"

Yes, I am indeed changed; more than he knows or coulde believe. And he
is changed too. With Payn I perceive a more stern, severe Tone
occasionallie used by him; doubtlesse the Cloke assumed by his Griefe to
hide the Ruin I had made within. Yet a more geniall Influence is fast
melting this away. Agayn, I note with Payn that he complayns much of his
Eyes. At first, I observed he rubbed them oft, and dared not mention it,
believing that his Tears on Account of me, sinfulle Soule! had made them
smart. Soe, perhaps, they did in the first Instance, for it appears they
have beene ailing ever since the Year I left him; and Overstuddy, which
my Presence mighte have prevented, hath conduced to the same ill Effect.
Whenever he now looks at a lighted Candle, he sees a Sort of Iris alle
about it; and, this Morning, he disturbed me by mentioning that a total
Darknesse obscured everie Thing on the left Side of his Eye, and that he
even feared, sometimes, he might eventuallie lose the Sight of both. "In
which Case," he cheerfully sayd, "you, deare Wife, must become my
Lecturer as well as Amanuensis, and content yourself to read to me a
World of crabbed Books, in Tongues that are not nor neede